Solitude
by KawaiixCherryxBlossom
Summary: When a loved one dies, how does one go on living when they know they will never see the person they love most in the world again? This is the tragedy that faces Ash Ketchum, whose soul mate was tragically taken from him.


**Solitude**

**By Kawaii Cherry Blossom**

**Type: Drama/Tragedy**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Ages:**

**Ash – 20**

**Misty – 20**

**Summary: When a loved one dies, how does one go on living when they know they will never see the person they love most in the world again? This is the tragedy that faces Ash Ketchum, whose soul mate was tragically taken from him. **

Hi everyone.

Right now I'm in the process of re-writing all of my old fanfictions. This is the first piece that I've revised. I changed it a lot but I hope you like it. :)  The inspiration came from the song, 'Soledad', by Westlife. I strongly encourage you to download it as it sets the tone of the piece and it's a really beautiful song. I put the lyrics at the start of the fic, please make sure to read them before you read the story.

--)--)—

** '****Soledad****'' (pronounced so-le-da)**

**By Westlife**

If only you could see the tears

In the world you left behind

If only you could heal my heart

Just one more time…

Even when I close my eyes

There's an image of your face

And once again I come to realise

You're a loss I can't replace…

**Soledad****…**

**It's a keeping for the lonely**

**Since the day that you were gone**

**Why did you leave me, ****soledad******

**In my heart you were the only**

**And your memory lives on**

**Why did you leave me, ****soledad****…**

Walking down the streets of Nothingville

Where a love was young and free

Can't believe just what an empty place it has come to be…

I would give my life away

If it could only be the same

'Cause I can't still the voice inside of me

That is calling out your name

**Soledad****…**

**It's a keeping for the lonely**

**Since the day that you were gone**

**Why did you leave me, ****soledad****…**

**In my heart you were the only**

**And your memory lives on**

**Why did you leave me, ****soledad****…**

Time won't ever change the things you told me

And after all, we're meant to be

Love will bring us back to you and me

If only you could see…

**Soledad****…**

**It's a keeping for the lonely**

**Since the day that you were gone**

**Why did you leave me, ****soledad****…**

**In my heart you were the only**

**And your memory lives on**

**Why did you leave me, ****soledad****…**

--)--)—

All was silent as the world's Pokémon Master, Ash Ketchum, placed a single white rose upon a milky-white coffin.

"Hi there, beautiful…" he said quietly, almost choking on his words. He said it the same way as when he would greet her. She would then acknowledge the greeting with a brilliant smile, and despite the situation, Ash found himself waiting to see it. And although he knew it wouldn't come, he felt disappointed when it didn't. Ash had loved her smile, the way her eyes lit up and combined with the rest of her features to produce what he thought to be the smile of an Angel. He could not fathom a life without her, although he knew that he would have to face reality soon.

She had died just one week ago. It was a time that he knew would always seem like yesterday to him, its events so vivid in his mind. It's horror so strong in his heart. It was her birthday and he was surprising her by meeting her at a fancy restaurant, her favourite in fact. Ash had hired a limousine and driver to pick her up and take her there. The driver arrived at Cerulean Gym as planned, placed a blindfold over her eyes and escorted her to the restaurant. Ash sat in the restaurant waiting, trying to be patient but not succeeding. He glanced at his watch every five minutes, but it was early. She wasn't due to arrive for another ten minutes. Five minutes passed, then ten, then fifteen, then twenty… Half an hour later, Ash was overcome with worry. He felt sick; his connection with Misty telling him that there was something terribly wrong. Trying to push away the sinking feeling that had planted itself in his heart like a leech seed, and was draining his hope, he got into his car and started to the Gym. He didn't get far, however, before he found the reason for her not showing up. Ambulances littered the road. People were sitting on the sidewalk crying, and police officers were scattered among them, taking down details and comforting victims. A drunk driver in a truck had slammed into a limousine, which was on impact forced into a bus and crammed between the vehicles. Most of the people involved had survived, escaping with minor and semi-major injuries. One person was killed in the tragic accident, however - a twenty-year-old female, who went by the name of Misty Waterflower.

--)--)—

Everybody was devastated by her unexpected death, but none more so than Ash. Her funeral was today, just hours earlier. He hadn't wanted to say goodbye to her then, though. There were too many people, too much pity and too many tears. He had asked them to put off loading the casket into the ground until he could be alone to say goodbye. They had agreed, understanding the extent of the pain that Ash was in, and knowing that he needed to seek closure in his own way. Ash sighed. He felt tears overtake him slightly and didn't try to push them away. Kneeling by Misty's coffin, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Silently, he opened it to reveal a brilliant diamond ring. It sparkled with the remaining light that the sun was projecting. Tears flowing freely down his cheeks, he placed the box containing the ring atop her coffin.

"This is for you, Misty", he choked out. "I was going to give it to you and ask you to be my wife on the night of your birthday, but…" Ash paused, taking time to regain his composure. He wanted to be strong for her.

"I wish that I had gathered the courage to ask you sooner, maybe then this would have never happened… Everybody is telling me that the pain will subside, but I…I don't know how to live without you…" he said. He wished that her soft voice would reply to him, telling him that he needn't worry because this was all a terrible nightmare, and that he would wake up soon to find her in his arms. He waited, but her voice never came. Breaking down in tears, he put his face in his hands and wept. He knew that he would never find another like her. They knew one another better than they knew themselves. They had shared everything, and hoped to share more. But it was a dream that would never become reality. A hope as bright as the light of all the stars in the sky, which was extinguished by a single person who had made the decision to drive under the influence of alcohol that night. Ash's tears were filled with regret, bitterness, anger, but most of all, sadness. The hardest thing to accept was that he would never see her again, except in his dreams…where he wished he could stay forever.

 "I miss you…and will miss you…forever…Misty… And I will love you forever… Please, do me one thing…" he paused, not bothering to brush away the stray tears that flowed down his cheeks.

"Please, don't forget me…" he lingered on the sentence. This was goodbye, and it wasn't a 'so long' sort of goodbye, either. This was for real. He wished there was another way to put it. Goodbye seemed like such a commonly used word; nowhere near as special as it should have been to say to the woman he loved. Ash closed his eyes gently. He stood, and slowly bowed in front of the coffin. He signalled to the man standing by, and watched as her coffin was lowered into the ground.

"Goodbye, Misty…"

--)--)—

Ash wandered through the park on his way home. He had been living in Cerulean City for the past year. He had achieved his title of Pokémon Master at age eighteen, and travelled back and forth between cities, but based himself in Cerulean, so that he could be with Misty, who was the city's full-time gym leader. Ash glanced into the water in the pond. It was clear and blue, like Misty's eyes. He sighed hopelessly. Everything he saw reminded him of her in some way. The Psyduck that was following that little girl, the blue jean shorts in the window of that shop and the jewellery store where he had bought that ring, brought back memories of the times they had once shared. He stared at his own reflection. Though he was only twenty, he looked like he had aged years in the past week. His hair was uncombed and messy, spiking up in various places like it had when he was younger. His eyes were cold and lifeless, no longer holding that spark and zest for life that had once shone in them. Misty had always told him that she loved looking into his eyes, because she saw such hope and love in them like she had never seen in any other person. But the candle that kept that hope and love alive had blown out. He wished that he had been taken instead of her. He wished he could have changed the tragic events. But even he, one who never gave up on their dreams, realised that this was never to happen. His heart felt heavy and broken. He felt empty and lost, like a part of him was missing, and it was. Misty was a part of him. She completed him, she was his soulmate. But…she was gone…

--)--)—

It was dark when Ash reached his house. He turned on the television and flicked through the stations. News, news, news, Friends, news, MTV, Dragonball Z, How to communicate with people who have passed away…

"Wait a minute…" he said to himself as he turned the volume up. It was a show called Beyond.

"It's really very easy", the presenter said. "All you have to do his follow my instructions… First, take out a piece of paper and a pen."

Ash blinked. Without really thinking about what he was doing, he took a piece of paper from the table next to him, and took out the pen that he kept in his jacket pocket, the one that Misty had given him for his 18th birthday. Engraved along the side were the words, 'Ash, you'll always be my Pokémon Master… Love, Misty'. Ash took his attention away from the words on the pen as the presenter was explaining what he had to do.

"First, you need to think strongly about the person you want to communicate with. Close your eyes and visualise them, think only of them and of how much you want to hear from them. Then, put your pen to paper, and still thinking of that person, write… You will probably feel that the pen is writing for itself. That is how you will know that it's working, and that the person is communicating with you. When you have finished, take a look at their message to you", the presenter explained.

Ash was doubtful as to whether it would work, but he knew that there was no harm in trying it. Closing his eyes and putting his pen to paper, he concentrated on Misty. He could see her so clearly in his mind, and he thought back to all of the times they had shared. He remembered the day that they had first met. He remembered when she left to take care of the gym and how alone he felt while she was gone. He remembered when she came back to cheer him on during the Hoenn League, and how well he had done because of her support. He remembered when he first realised that he was in love with her.  He remembered her touch and what it felt like to kiss her. He remembered their first kiss and how nervous they were, but how right it felt. He remembered how safe and loved he felt in her arms… Suddenly, Ash snapped back to reality. He realised that he had been writing, though he couldn't recall what he had written. It had felt like he was in some sort of trance. Slowly and nervously, he glanced down at the paper on which he had written.

'I will never stop loving you, Ash Ketchum. And another thing is for sure – I won't ever forget you. Please, do one thing for me though? Live your life to the fullest, even without me there. I know you can do it. I'm always with you. Love, Misty.'

Ash was unable to take his eyes away from the paper that sat in front of his eyes. Tears flowed down his face. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Startled, he whisked around.

"Who's there…?" he said quietly, but there was nobody there. However, he didn't feel afraid as one would if they were alone and felt something touch their arm. He felt safe and warm. He felt like he would when Misty was with him. Was it Misty's ghost that had touched his arm? He could feel her presence in the room, as if she was sitting right beside him.

"If you had and have a really strong connection with the person you are trying to communicate with, what is written on the paper should be a message from them to you. You should all know that when a loved one passes away, they are not leaving you. They will be with you forever, and though you won't be able to see them, know that they are always there."

Again reading the message on the paper, Ash smiled for the first time since the tragic night when Misty had been killed. A small spark ignited the candle that formerly burned in his eyes.

"I'll do it for you, Misty…" he said as he closed his eyes. He felt something touch his hand, but didn't move. He felt like she was beside him, and fell asleep knowing that as long as her spirit was beside him, he could go on living.

And that he did…

THE END

**_Do not drink and drive. Not only are you risking your own life, but you could also tragically ruin the lives of others._**

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, and have learned your lesson if you drink and drive. It's so dangerous, not only for yourself but also for others. I actually saw the whole communicating with people who have died thing happening on Beyond one day. It was pretty amazing. Anyway, please leave a review if you have any comments. Thanks. :)

Love and light,

Sarah

"Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous.

Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish.

It does not take offence, and is not resentful.

Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins, but delights in the truth.

It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope,

And to endure whatever comes."

1 Corinthians: 13, 14 4-8


End file.
